Syrian leader, al-Assad calls for sincere international cooperation

The fight against the militant Islamic State group requires “true and sincere international cooperation,” Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in remarks released Friday.

The United States and its Arab allies have been engaged in an aerial bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, but have refused to coordinate with Damascus, which is also embroiled in a civil war with militants trying to oust al-Assad.

“IS [Islamic State] has not come out of thin air,” al-Assad told a meeting of his ruling Baath Party late Thursday, according to the official Syrian news agency, SANA.

“IS came to cap accumulating wrong-headed policies by parties involved in the war against Syria that have supported, armed and funded terrorist and militant organizations to undermine Syria,” he added, referring to countries that have backed the Syrian rebels.

“Only a true and sincere international cooperation” will be able to confront the Islamic State, al-Assad was reported as saying.

His comments come just days after US President Barack Obama ruled out any alliance with the Syrian regime in the fight against the al-Qaeda splinter group.

The US has repeatedly demanded that al-Assad step down to end Syria’s four-year conflict, which has so far claimed the lives of at least 200,000 people, according to activists.

It is the first time the central bank has cut interest rates since 2012. The bank said overall market liquidity was comfortable, but indicated a willingness to take further measures.

“At present, the overall liquidity in the banking system is abundant,” the bank was quoted as saying on its official website. “If necessary, the Central Bank will provide timely liquidity support via multiple monetary policy tools.”

The move was a response to slower-than-expected economic growth. The growth rate in the third quarter dropped to 7.3 per cent, falling short of the government’s goal of 7.5 per cent.

Source: GNA